Sylvester Stein
Encyclopedia
Sylvester Stein is a writer, publisher and athlete.
Stein grew up in Durban
, son of a mathematics professor. His sister and brother are both life scientists.
After completing his education as an electrical engineer, Stein volunteered for the Royal Navy
during the Second World War
. He served mainly on minesweepers
, and later moved to the UK to work on the degaussing
of ships, a defensive measure against magnetic mines.
Demobbed and married to Jenny Hutt, a Londoner, he returned to South Africa in 1947, where his four children were born. He worked on the Johannesburg Rand Daily Mail as a reporter, and later became editor of Drum magazine.
At this time Stein was a friend and associate of many leading figures in the African National Congress
. By 1957, the South African government was beginning to prosecute and imprison political dissenters and Stein, like many others, took the decision to emigrate. Nonetheless, he maintained contact with ANC exiles and helped rejuvenate the party's finances prior to its assumption of power in 1994.
He resumed journalistic work in London, including stints on Reynolds News and the News Chronicle
, but soon grew dissatisfied and formed his own publishing company. This company, Stonehart Publications, introduced many innovative newsletters and marketing concepts to the somewhat staid British publishing environment. The company is now part of electricwordplc.com.
Apart from his business interests, Stein has published several books, both fiction and non-fiction. His novel, Second Class Taxi, was banned in South Africa for more than 20 years.
Who Killed Mr Drum? was turned into a play, co-written with Fraser Grace. It opened at the Riverside Studios
in September 2005, directed by Paul Robinson, with Sello Maake Ka-Ncube as Can Themba. The following year the play, co-written with his late colleague, Robert Troop, This is your Captain Speaking was produced at the Pentameters Theatre
in Hampstead.
His other achievements have been in the athletic stadium, where he has won numerous medals in masters athletics events worldwide. At the age of 60 he won a Gold medal in the 200m at the World Masters Athletics championships in Christchurch
, New Zealand. He has competed against, among others, US Senator Alan Cranston
. Stein was President of the British Masters Federation for a number of years. His publishing work also involved the promotion of athletics and general fitness. At the age of 89 he has a pulse
rate of 52, which is 20 points below the national average.
Stein continues to produce well into his ninth decade. Currently he is converting one of his books - 99 Ways to Reach 100 - into a website.
Stein grew up in Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
, son of a mathematics professor. His sister and brother are both life scientists.
After completing his education as an electrical engineer, Stein volunteered for the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He served mainly on minesweepers
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
, and later moved to the UK to work on the degaussing
Degaussing
Degaussing is the process of decreasing or eliminating an unwanted magnetic field. It is named after Carl Friedrich Gauss, an early researcher in the field of magnetism...
of ships, a defensive measure against magnetic mines.
Demobbed and married to Jenny Hutt, a Londoner, he returned to South Africa in 1947, where his four children were born. He worked on the Johannesburg Rand Daily Mail as a reporter, and later became editor of Drum magazine.
At this time Stein was a friend and associate of many leading figures in the African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
. By 1957, the South African government was beginning to prosecute and imprison political dissenters and Stein, like many others, took the decision to emigrate. Nonetheless, he maintained contact with ANC exiles and helped rejuvenate the party's finances prior to its assumption of power in 1994.
He resumed journalistic work in London, including stints on Reynolds News and the News Chronicle
News Chronicle
The News Chronicle was a British daily newspaper. It ceased publication on 17 October 1960, being absorbed into the Daily Mail. Its offices were in Bouverie Street, off Fleet Street, London, EC4Y 8DP, England.-Daily Chronicle:...
, but soon grew dissatisfied and formed his own publishing company. This company, Stonehart Publications, introduced many innovative newsletters and marketing concepts to the somewhat staid British publishing environment. The company is now part of electricwordplc.com.
Apart from his business interests, Stein has published several books, both fiction and non-fiction. His novel, Second Class Taxi, was banned in South Africa for more than 20 years.
Who Killed Mr Drum? was turned into a play, co-written with Fraser Grace. It opened at the Riverside Studios
Riverside Studios
Riverside Studios is a production studio, theatre and independent cinema on the banks of the River Thames in Hammersmith, London, England. It plays host to contemporary and international dramatic and dance performance, film, visual art exhibitions and television production.-History:In 1933, the...
in September 2005, directed by Paul Robinson, with Sello Maake Ka-Ncube as Can Themba. The following year the play, co-written with his late colleague, Robert Troop, This is your Captain Speaking was produced at the Pentameters Theatre
Pentameters Theatre
The Pentameters Theatre was founded in 1968 and is still run by artistic director Leonie Scott-Matthews, a well known Hampstead resident. It is a 60-seat venue and is a fringe theatre in the London Borough of Camden, located above the Three Horseshoes public house in Hampstead...
in Hampstead.
His other achievements have been in the athletic stadium, where he has won numerous medals in masters athletics events worldwide. At the age of 60 he won a Gold medal in the 200m at the World Masters Athletics championships in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, New Zealand. He has competed against, among others, US Senator Alan Cranston
Alan Cranston
Alan MacGregor Cranston was an American journalist and Democratic Senator from California.-Education:Cranston earned his high school diploma from the old Mountain View High School, where among other things, he was a track star...
. Stein was President of the British Masters Federation for a number of years. His publishing work also involved the promotion of athletics and general fitness. At the age of 89 he has a pulse
Pulse
In medicine, one's pulse represents the tactile arterial palpation of the heartbeat by trained fingertips. The pulse may be palpated in any place that allows an artery to be compressed against a bone, such as at the neck , at the wrist , behind the knee , on the inside of the elbow , and near the...
rate of 52, which is 20 points below the national average.
Stein continues to produce well into his ninth decade. Currently he is converting one of his books - 99 Ways to Reach 100 - into a website.
Non-fiction
- The Running Guide to Keeping Fit (Corgi 1986)
- 99 Ways to Reach 100 (Century Hutchinson 1987)
- Who Killed Mr Drum? (Corvo 1999)
Novels
- Second Class Taxi (FaberFaber and FaberFaber and Faber Limited, often abbreviated to Faber, is an independent publishing house in the UK, notable in particular for publishing a great deal of poetry and for its former editor T. S. Eliot. Faber has a rich tradition of publishing a wide range of fiction, non fiction, drama, film and music...
1958) - Old Letch (FaberFaber and FaberFaber and Faber Limited, often abbreviated to Faber, is an independent publishing house in the UK, notable in particular for publishing a great deal of poetry and for its former editor T. S. Eliot. Faber has a rich tradition of publishing a wide range of fiction, non fiction, drama, film and music...
1959) - What the World Owes Me by Mary Bowes (FaberFaber and FaberFaber and Faber Limited, often abbreviated to Faber, is an independent publishing house in the UK, notable in particular for publishing a great deal of poetry and for its former editor T. S. Eliot. Faber has a rich tradition of publishing a wide range of fiction, non fiction, drama, film and music...
1960 - The Bewilderness (House 1976)